smith



c. H. SMITH.

TONE REGULATOR FOR PHONOGRAPHS.

APPLICATXON FILED JULY 25,1918. 4

Patented June 10, 1919.

UNITED STATES P ENT oFF OHLRLESl E. SMITH, OI CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO SMITH, BARNES 6c fi-TROHBER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedJu m 1o,, 1919.

Application filed my 25, 1918. Serial no. 24e,ea1.-

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLns" H. SMITH,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State 'of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Tone-Regulators for Phonographs, of which the following is a specification.

-My invention relates to tone regulators for phonographs, and the object of the invention is to provide simple, attractive, and efiicient means whereby the volume of sound issuing from the machine may be regulated in accordance with. the wishes of the user. To obtain these objects I have provided not only an original form of regulator as a whole, but have also provided certain details of construction which contribute to the utility of the apparatus. These will be understood from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 1s a perspective of the upper portion of a phonograph equipped with my invention. The regu pulled forward approximately to the limit.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section, taken from front to rear, of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevation drawn to an increased scale, showing more particularly the guiding means and the equalizing mechanism by which-the two ends of the regulator are compelled always to move equal amounts. The view'is part1 in section but is chiefl in elevation, lookmg'toward. the left in ig. 4. 1

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the tone (regulator and a portion of the-front of the phonograph adjacent thereto, the plane of section being from front to rear.

' Fig. 5 is a plan section on the line 5-5,

gimilar numerals refer to similar parts throu out the several views.

Whlle the phonograph itself may assume various forms, I have selected to lllustrate a. common type in which there is a casing 1,

A having a cover 2, hinged at the back and in- I vclosing the sound disk 3, and tone arm 4.

. the instrument. It has a ator is here shown,

The turn table 5 is supported upon a platform 6 in the casing and the tonearm connects with the rear end of a sound duct 7 which conducts the sound to the front 8 of the machine.

In the design illustrated, theregulator is in the form of a drawer which slides hori zontally in the opening 10 in the from; of anel 12 forming the front and is preferably provided with marginal flanges 13 which lend a finished appearance and contact the front of the instrument when the regulator is closed. The result is that when the instrument is not in use and the regulator is closed the-appearance will simply be that ofa panel forming part of the instrument itself and giving no idea of its function. It is rovided with a handle 15 or any other sultable means by which it may be pushed in or drawn out.

Extending backward from the horizontal and vertical edges of the front panel are horizontal walls 18 and vertical ones 19 formin a hollow rectangle. The horizontal wal s have openings 20 in them through which the sound from the duct 7 may escape when the regulator is pulled forward. In the design shown the o enings are circular, but the size and shape 0 them may of course be varied as desired. It will thusbe seen thatthe regulator constitutes a hollow valve closed at the front. and having sound openguided in its backward and forward movement. In the present case these means consist of stationary V-shaped guides 25 entering V-shaped grooves 26 formed in the vertical walls 19 as best shown in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings.

I have also provided means-for equalizing movement at the two ends to prevent the regulator from becoming cramped or bound in its guideways. The equalizing mechanismconsists of a shaft 30 journaled in blocks 31, fastened to the inside of the front panel 8. This shaft passes through horizontal slots 33 formed the walls 19 of the regulator, thus permitting the regulator to move horizontally, despite the fact that the shaft remains stationar Pinions 35 are rigidly fastened to sha 30 and coiiperate with racks 36 fastened to the inside of the walls 19 and arranged horizontally over the pinions 35.. As the two pinions are of the same size and are compelled to rotate ,in unison, the travel at one end of the regulator will always be equal to the travel at the other end and thus prevent binding.

When the instrument is not in use the regulator will be closed and the phonograph will have-the appearance of having a solid front. When the machine is in use and sound is being produced the volume of sound issuing from the instru 'ent may be regulated by pulling the regulator forward a greater or less amount and thus regulating the amount of opening available through the apertures 20. By. pulling the regulatorout the full distance and entirely uncovering the apertures 20 the instrument will deliver its full tone. a

It is evident that the device is exceedingly simple both in construction and operation. Furthermore, it will always remain in any position in which it is set. Its own weight and friction will hold it in any position, and yet very little force is required to move it from one position to another.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new. and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: a

1. In combination, a phonograph having a duct for delivering the sound and a drawer mounted at the end of the duct and slidable lengthwise thereof, said drawer having walls at the top, bottom and sides, one of the walls having an opening for the emission of sound, the available area of the opening depending upon the position of the drawer.

2. A phonograph having a'duct for delivering the sound, and a tone regulator consisting of a hollow valve with a front extending across the mouth of the duct, and

' having walls extending back into the duct, said valve being movable longitudinally of the duct and the Walls of the valve having openings through which more or less of the sound may issue" depending upon the distance to which the front. of the valve is drawn forward from the mouth of the duct. 3. A phonograph'having a duct for de-- outlet will be provided when the fron\t is the mouth of the duct, and having walls having" sound openings therein, means for pulled forward, and means'for guiding the regulator in a substantially straight line lengthwise of the duct. q

4. A phonograph having a sound duct, a hollow valve having a front extending across extending backward into the duct, said walls having openings through which more or less sound may issue, depending upon the position of the valve, and means for guldmg said valve in a direction perpendicular to the front of it.

5. The combination, with a phonograph having a sound duct, of a hollow valve having a front extending across the mouth of the duct for closing it and having walls extending backward into theduct, said walls having sound openings therein, and means (for guiding the valve lengthwise of the 6. The combination, with a phonograph having a sound duct, of a hollow valve having a 'front extending across the mouth of the duct for closing it and'having walls extending backward into the duct, said walls guiding the valve. lengthwise of the duct, and equalizing mechanism for compelling the opposite sides of the valve to move equal amounts, and thereby prevent the valve from binding. v

- 7. A tone regulator forphonographs in the form of. a drawe mounted in the front of the phonograph at the mouth of the sound duct, the drawer having a front for closing the mouth of the duct and having apertured side walls extending inwardly. from the front of the drawer, guides fastened to the front of the phonograph for guiding it in the direction of the length of the sound duct, a shaft journaled in the front of the phonograph, pinions fastened to said shaft, and racks fastened to the drawer and engaging said pinions for equalizing the movement at the two ends of the drawer. v 8. A tone regulator for phonographs' i .the form of a drawer mounted in the front of the honograph at the mouth of the sound duct, t e drawer having a front for closing the 'mouth of the duct and having side walls extending inwardly from the front of-the drawer, two of the side walls being arranged vertically and two horizontally, the horizontal walls being apertured for the escape of sound, and a horizontal shaftijoui'naled in the front'of the phonograph and; having pinionsv fastened to it which coiiperatewith racks fastened to the inside ofthevertical walls of the drawer, the vertical walls of the drawer n' horizontally slotted to acommodate the s aft and permit the drawers to move, independently of the shaft.

9. In combination, a phonograph having a sound duct the mouth whereof is at the front of the phonograph, a tone regulator in the form of a drawer mounted in the front of the phonograph at the month of the duct, said drawer having side walls' extending inwardly and having openings therein for the issue of the sound when the 

